Country Roads
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We live about 7 miles from the nearest store.  I’m not talking about 7 miles of straight freeway driving that would take you five minutes.  No, I’m talking about 7 miles of winding country road; the “scenic route”.  You could choose to shave off some time by going part of the way on the state highway, but then you’d be taking your life in your hands.  It sports a 65 mile per hour speed limit, with peoples’ driveways entering onto it from both sides, for gosh sakes!  Some of those people are senior citizens.  Need I say more?

For the most part, I prefer to take the scenic route to town.  I’m never in very much of a hurry.  I’m one of those who do my best to get ready early enough to be able to enjoy the drive in.

Just the other day I had to make a run into town for sorely needed groceries.  I hadn’t made it very far when I was forced to pull over to take a picture of this:

I don’t know what those yellow flowers are but Butterfly calls them meadow foam.  That can’t be right, can it?  Why am I asking? She’s always right.

I fiddled around at this spot taking so many pictures that it was clear I’d never get to town at the rate I was going, especially since I knew that there would be many more sights along the way that would grab my attention (and force my car to stop).  So I made a pact with myself: I could take pictures as long as I didn’t get out of the car.  That’s my way of making excuses for the quality of the rest of the photos you’re about to see.

Bradford Pear Trees

Daffodils are a big hit right now.  They’re everywhere.

There’s nothing like a nice star magnolia, if you ask me.

This little fatso forced me to come to a complete halt to avoid killing it, so I thought I might as well take its picture.  What is it about squirrels and cars?  Do motorized vehicles trigger some sort of rodent death wish?

.... zzzzzzzz ....

The vineyards around here are still sleeping.

I like the contrast of the blooming daffodils and last year’s dry grass.  It pays, sometimes, not to be in a hurry to chop down spent plants.  They can offer some nice shape and texture to your garden if you just give them the chance.

This is a neighbor’s pond, which I passed on my way home.  I will confess to getting out of my car at this point.  I spied a nice-sized turtle sunning itself on the shore and was hoping to get a picture of it.

I very quietly closed the car door and tip-toed to the fence, zooming my lens on the way.  Even the heron who was fishing on the far side of the pond stayed put.  I was so close to getting my turtle shot!  Yeah, right.  How do you think that worked out?  Do you see a picture of a turtle sunning itself?

Even the picture of the turtle swimming away is miserably out of focus.  AND the heron flew away before I could get his picture.  Talk about a lose/lose situation.  I should have stayed in the car.